Net Rushers to Host Annual Juneteenth Junior and Adult Tournament
The Net Rushers Community Tennis Association — a nonprofit dedicated to providing free and low-cost tennis instruction to young people in an inclusive and diverse environment — is set to host its third-annual Juneteenth tournament. After the first two installments took place at Westminster Christian Academy, this year’s rendition will occur at the now-refurbished Forestwood Park tennis courts in Ferguson on Saturday, June 17.
Mary Owens-Hudson — Net Rushers vice president and coordinator of junior programming — is looking forward to hosting the celebratory tournament for the first time at Net Rushers’ home facility. The event will feature play opportunities for beginner, intermediate and advanced junior competitors as well as adults. Instruction and tennis games will also take place on a novice court for those new to the sport with participants receiving prizes.
“Before the tournament begins, we usually bring all participants together and talk briefly about the history of Juneteenth and why it is a celebration of freedom,” Owens-Hudson said. “We also discuss the purpose — the reason why we’re here and why we’re celebrating. In addition, a player will read a very informative Juneteenth poem.”
Owens-Hudson said the communities of Ferguson, Florissant and all of St. Louis are invited to participate in the festivities, which will run from 8:00 a.m. until about 4:00 p.m. The celebratory event will feature games, prizes, ice cream, snow cones, refreshments and music.
Tennis events offered include boys’ doubles, girls’ doubles, men’s doubles and women’s doubles at the 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 levels for both juniors and adults. Cost of entry is $20 per junior doubles team and $40 per adult doubles team. Individuals can register to play by clicking here.
Owens-Hudson said the Net Rushers CTA was approached a couple years ago by its parent nonprofit, Midwestern Tennis Association (MID-TAC), about running a Juneteenth tournament. MID-TAC asked its 16 member clubs — located in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio — to hold Juneteenth tournaments on the same day if they could.
Owens-Hudson — who doubles as MID-TAC’s coordinator of juniors and scholarships — said Net Rushers “would love to do it,” and an annual event was formed locally.
Owens-Hudson travels with a group of her student-athletes each year to compete in MID-TAC’s Junior and Adult Championship Tournament. She has gotten to take her own children to the event as well. Owens-Hudson noted this year’s tourney in Indianapolis will be particularly special with MID-TAC celebrating its 100th year of existence. Players get to interact with and compete against top competitors from across the United States.
“When my players walk in, they are just amazed to see so many kids and their families who look like them playing tennis,” Owens-Hudson said. “It’s really a wonderful opportunity for our players, because some of them have never gone beyond the St. Louis area to compete in a large tennis tournament like MID-TAC. Participating in the MID-TAC tournament is a life-changing, awesome experience for Net Rushers players.”
Net Rushers Community Tennis Association offers free lessons from June 4 to July 30 every Sunday from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Forest Wood Park. Children 4 and up as well as adults are invited to join, and tennis equipment is included. Right before the tennis lessons begin, Net Rushers is incorporating free chess lessons this year from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Forestwood Park.
Coaches and mentors can get involved by volunteering here, and parents are welcome to chip in as well. Net Rushers throws a big annual celebration event at the conclusion of the summer lessons.
The nonprofit CTA also offers six-week lesson packages for $45 running from October to March. Those lessons for middle school and high school players take place Sundays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Frontenac Racquet Club. Individuals wanting to register for the free or low-cost lessons can do so by clicking here.
Net Rushers’ mission is to use tennis as a tool to enhance young people’s skills, growth, physical health and academic success. The CTA has received numerous awards from USTA St. Louis and USTA Missouri Valley, including Outstanding Community Tennis Award and NJTL Sectional Chapter of the Year. The nonprofit is a Gold Star recipient. Net Rushers is part of USTA’s Net Generation program. To learn more about Net Rushers, click here.
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